JAC HOLZMAN, MICK HOUGHTON & BRUCE BOTNICK Becoming Elektra [signature edition]
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The history of Jac Holzman's seminal Elektra label from 1950 to 1973. Each set includes an exclusive 13 track 10" coloured vinyl album of classic Elektra recordings chosen by Jac Holzman and especially remastered for this release by The Doors' producer Bruce Botnick.
Each book is individually hand signed by Jac Holzman & Mick Houghton, and each album package is individually hand signed by Bruce Botnick.
THE SIGNATURE EDITION OF 250 SETS
The package contains:
- a hand signed and numbered limited edition book
- an authentication hologram in the book
- hand bound in blind embossed & die cut leather sourced from calves which have died of natural causes in India
- encased in a retro speaker grille fabric & leatherette handmade slipcase
- an exclusive 10" album of rare Elektra recordings pressed on high quality grey vinyl
- a die cut custom record sleeve
- a full colour offset lithograph art print suitable for framing, with artwork inspired by the famous Elektra butterfly logo
Becoming Elektra is an account of Elektra Records in the Jac Holzman years, from 1950 to 1973. It tells the story of Elektra's growth from a small independent folk label to a major, multi-faceted, hit making concern.
Jac Holzman's role in founding and running the company is central to the story, and his capacity for lateral thinking - which led to innovations such as the first-ever sampler album, and a million-selling series of sound effects records - is a recurring theme. But the book is not just the story of one man's business success, it is also about the label's artists and the great music they produced. Becoming Elektra places the label in a broad context, with a gripping narrative drawing in elements of musical and cultural history and biographies of the main participants.
The book opens with the pivotal moment in Elektra's history when Holzman discovered The Doors. It then goes back to the previously untold story of Elektra in the '50s, when the label brought folk music to a wide audience through artists such as Jean Ritchie, Josh White, Theodore Bikel and Bob Gibson. Moving into the '60s the story takes in artists that have had an extraordinary resonance down the years including some, such as Tim Buckley, who are far more popular today than in their lifetimes. Buckley's story is told alongside those of artists who comprise an inventory of '60s and '70s musical innovation: The Doors, Love, Judy Collins, The Paul Butterfield Band, Michael Bloomfield, Tom Paxton, Tim Buckley, Fred Neil, David Ackles, Phil Ochs, Bread, Queen, Mickey Newbury, The Incredible String Band, Iggy Pop with The Stooges, Carly Simon and The MC5.
ABOUT THE WRITER: Mick Houghton wrote for a variety of music publications during the ‘70s, including Circus, Zigzag, Let It Rock, Sounds and Time Out, before stumbling into a job in the Warner Bros press office in 1979. He never saw this as a permanent career move - but within a year he had set up the independent Brassneck Publicity, where he’s looked after an extraordinary array of people ever since. Over the years he’s been closely associated with Echo & The Bunnymen, Julian Cope, The Teardrop Explodes, The Undertones, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Sonic Youth, The KLF, Spiritualized, XTC, Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson and plenty more besides. He began writing again in 2001, first for Mojo and later for Uncut. After writing the book included with the Grammy-nominated boxed set Forever Changing: The Golden Age of Elektra, 1963 to 1973, Mick went on to write Becoming Elektra: The True Story of Jac Holzman’s Visionary Record Label.
ABOUT THE ALBUM Becoming Elektra Various Artists Catalogue number FEP6 Grey vinyl sleeved in a black disco bag and accompanied by a numbered full colour offset lithographic art print on white card hand signed by Bruce Botnick, all sleeved within a die cut outer bag Limited edition 250 copies, only available with the Signature Edition of Becoming Elektra. Tracks chosen and album sequenced by Jac Holzman All tracks remastered especially for this release by Bruce Botnick
A2 - ST. JAMES INFIRMARY A3 - JOSHUA A4 - YES I SEE A5 - WONDROUS LOVE A6 - LININ' TRACK A7 - WADE IN THE WATER B1 - BLACK MOUNTAIN RAG B2 - I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHERE I'M BOUND B3 - BLUES ON THE CEILING B4 - I AIN'T MARCHING ANYMORE B5 - SINCE YOU ASKED B6 - MORNING GLORY Album produced under license from Elektra Entertainment Group |
...colourful chronicle...Houghton weaves fresh interviews into an upbeat narrative of frontline tales which trump critical analysis...Excellent on charting Elektra's development...Above all, Becoming Elektra abounds in anecdotes about some of the most gifted, troubled musicians in folk, rock and "that bastard thing" folk-rock...this page turner is the ideal guide to a catalogue brimming in madcap genius and the occasionally well-adjusted success story. - MOJO |